Terrie Hall, longtime anti-smoking activist, died of cancer at age 53 Monday morning, Fox's WGHP reported Tuesday.
Lexington native Terrie Hall died at 53 after battling against mouth cancer and several other complications believed to have been caused by smoking. She reportedly underwent 33 rounds of radiation therapy for her condition prior to her demise.
Hall, a resident of Winston-Salem, was one of the 24 people featured in the 'Tips from Former Smokers' ad campaign, the federal public heath agency's largest and most aggressive anti-smoking push, according to WGHP.
The anti-smoking activist has been sharing her story on how she battled against smoking through television advertisements in hopes of helping other smokers quit the said addiction.
"Being able to make a difference in somebody else's life is what it's about," Hall told FOX8′s Chad Tucker in May. "I'm very passionate about not wanting people to go through what I'm going through because of choices I made at an early age."
Terrie Hall began to smoke when she was 17 due to peer pressure. She smoked for 23 years, including 12 years of smoking at least two packs of cigarettes a day, until a dentist reportedly discovered mouth cancer and a sore throat that could lead to more complications.
"They told me I had a tumor on my larynx and they were going to take my voice box," Hall said.
However, she confessed later on that the craving didn't go away despite the removal of her voice box.
Hall had been diagnosed with more cancer since then and was even reportedly battling a brain tumor prior to her death.
Meanwhile, In May, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin in Washington D.C. recognized her efforts to motivate others to quit smoking.
"It was the ultimate honor," Terrie said for her work. "God has blessed me, He blesses me every day," Hall said.
Hall is involved in the American Cancer Society and even takes active role on the board of the International Association of Laryngectomees, a support organization for people who have had all or part of their larynx removed.
In 2005, Terrie Hall received the Distinguished Service Award in Tobacco Advocacy from Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue.
Director of the Healthy-Policy Unit at the Forsythe County Department of Public Health J. Nelson-Weaver said that many young people were fond of listening to Hall whenever she talked.
"A lot of people suffer from tobacco-related illnesses and cancers that are inside, that you can't see," Nelson-Weaver said. "When Terrie speaks, and they hear her voice come through the box, they stop and pay attention because it is completely clear - this is what this illness has done to me. And they understand immediately."
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